Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is demanding that Sen. Mitch McConnell prove he is still capable of serving, saying written medical updates and two photographs are no longer enough to show that Kentucky’s senior senator can still do the job.
In a letter released Monday, the Democratic governor called on McConnell to speak directly to Kentuckians or resign, arguing that more than six weeks have passed without the 84-year-old Republican appearing publicly or participating in Senate business after his June hospitalization.
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Beshear wants McConnell to speak publicly
Beshear said McConnell could answer those questions with a short video or by speaking with a Kentucky television or radio station.
“All we’re asking is just a little bit of proof,” Beshear told reporters. “When you run for these jobs, you know you’re giving some of that privacy up.”
In his letter, Beshear argued the statements released by McConnell’s office still do not answer the question he believes matters most: whether the senator can speak, reason and carry out the duties of the office.
“Even the attending physician’s written statement does not discuss your actual condition, including whether you can speak, reason, or carry out your duties as a senator,” he wrote.
McConnell’s office has not commented.
Rehabilitation continues
McConnell has not cast a Senate vote or participated in official business since suffering a June 14 fall that briefly left him unconscious. His office later disclosed that he also developed a mild case of pneumonia during his recovery.
On Monday, the Office of the Attending Physician said McConnell remains in intensive physical therapy with multiple rehabilitation sessions each day. McConnell’s office also released a new photograph showing the senator with his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
Earlier this month, McConnell said he intends to return to the Senate before his term ends in January. He is not seeking reelection.
Thune declines to intervene
Beshear also urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune to review McConnell’s condition if the senator refuses to publicly demonstrate he can still serve.
“If Mitch McConnell won’t level with the people of Kentucky and the United States, Senator Thune has a duty to do so,” Beshear told Bloomberg TV.
Thune declined.
“I think that’s an issue, really, that’s between Senator McConnell and the people of Kentucky,” he told NBC News Tuesday after attending Sen. Lindsey Graham’s memorial service.
Kentucky’s vacancy law remains untested
Beshear cannot remove McConnell from office. A vacancy would occur only if the senator resigned, died in office or was expelled by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
A law passed by Kentucky’s Republican-controlled legislature in 2024 eliminated the governor’s authority to appoint an interim senator and instead requires a special election. The law has never been tested, and legal scholars argue it conflicts with the Kentucky Constitution, which says vacancies in statewide offices “shall be filled by appointment of the Governor.”
The calendar leaves little room for delay. Sept. 1 is effectively the deadline to call a special election for Nov. 3 under Kentucky law if McConnell’s status changes.
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